Hybrid tea rose plant named &#39;Meikolyma&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Hybrid Tea rose plant is provided that forms at mid-season abundantly and substantially continuously attractive bright red-purple blossoms. The medium-sized buds are globular-shaped. The growth habit is semi-erect, and the stems are extremely rigid. The vegetation is very strong and attractive very dense leathery glossy dark green foliage is formed. The plant is particularly well suited for providing attractive ornamentation in the landscape.

BOTANICAL/COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION

Rosa hybrida/Hybrid Tea Rose Plant

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

cv. Meikolyma

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Rosa hybrida Hybrid Tea rose plant was created byartificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previouslyhad been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) was the‘Macnon’ variety (non-patented in the United States). The male parent(i.e., the pollen parent) was the product of the cross of the‘Meironsse’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,496) and the ‘Meipsilon’variety (non-patented in the United States).

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:

‘Macnon’×(‘Meironsse’×‘Meipsilon’).

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new Hybrid Tea rose plant of the presentinvention:

-   -   (a) displays a semi-erect growth habit with strong vegetation        and extremely rigid stems,    -   (b) forms medium-sized globular-shaped buds,    -   (c) forms at mid-season abundantly and substantially        continuously attractive bright red-purple blossoms,    -   (d) displays attractive very dense leathery glossy dark green        foliage, and    -   (e) is particularly well suited for providing attractive        ornamentation in the landscape.

The blossoms tend to emit a very slight fragrance that is reminiscent oftea and cut grass.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andcan be grown to advantage in the landscape.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its ancestors. Forinstance, the blossom appearance is considerably different from that ofthe ‘Macnon’, ‘Meironsse’, and ‘Meipsilon’ varieties. More specifically,the ‘Macnon’ variety forms medium pink blossoms having a lesser numberof petals, the ‘Meironsse’ variety forms blossoms which display anorange blend/copper coloration, and the ‘Meipsilon’ variety formsbicolored red and yellow blossoms.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Franceby a number of routes, including budding, grafting, and the use ofcuttings. Asexual propagation by the above-mentioned techniques at LeCannet des Maures, Var, France, has shown that the characteristics ofthe new variety are stable and are strictly transmissible by suchasexual propagation from one generation to another. Accordingly, the newvariety undergoes asexual propagation in a true-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘Meikolyma’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantsof the new variety were approximately one year of age and were observedduring October while budded on Rosa laxa understock and growing outdoorsat Le Cannet des Maures, Var, France. Dimensions in centimeters areindicated at the bottom of the photograph.

FIG. 1—illustrates a specimen of a young shoot;

FIG. 2—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 3—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud wherein the sepals arefully open;

FIG. 4—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thepetals;

FIG. 5—illustrates a specimen of a flower in the course of opening;

FIG. 6—illustrates a specimen of an open flower—plan view—obverse;

FIG. 7—illustrates a specimen of an open flower—plan view—reverse;

FIG. 8—illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower—plan view—obverse;

FIG. 9—illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower—plan view—reverse;

FIG. 10—illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the stamens and pistils;

FIG. 11—illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the pistils (stamens removed);

FIG. 12—illustrates a specimen of a main branch;

FIG. 13—illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem;

FIG. 14—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with three leaflets—planview—upper surface;

FIG. 15—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with five leaflets—planview—under surface; and

FIG. 16—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with seven leaflets—planview—upper surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The description is based onthe observation of one-year-old plants during October which were buddedon Rosa laxa understock and growing outdoors at Le Cannet des Maures,Var, France.

-   Class: Hybrid Tea.-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—semi-erect.-   Branches:    -   -   Color.—young stems: near Yellow-Green Group 146A. — adult            wood: near Yellow-Green Group 146B.        -   Thorns.—on young stems: — small prickles: configuration:            rather upright on both surfaces, and elongated on the upper            surface with an ovate and short base. quantity:            approximately 2 on average on a stem length of 10 cm.            length: approximately 0.5 cm on average. color: near            Greyed-Orange Group 175B. — long prickles: configuration:            rather upright on both surfaces, and elongated on the upper            surface with an obovate and long base. quantity:            approximately 15 on average on a stem length of 10 cm.            length: approximately 1 cm on average. color: near            Greyed-Orange Group 176B. — on adult stems: — small            prickles: configuration: rather upright and very elongated            on the upper surface and slightly concave on the under            surface with an obovate and short base. quantity:            approximately 11 on average on a stem length of 10 cm.            length: approximately 0.4 cm on average. color: near            Greyed-Orange Group 175A. — long prickles: configuration:            rather upright and very elongated on the upper surface and            slightly concave on the under surface with an obovate and            long base. quantity: approximately 16 on average on a stem            length of 10 cm. length: approximately 1 cm on average.            color: near Greyed-Orange Group 177A.-   Leaves:    -   -   Stipules.—adnate, pectinate, rather broad, approximately 1.8            cm in length on average, approximately 0.6 cm in width on            average, near Yellow-Green Group 146D on the upper surface,            and near Yellow-Green Group 148A on the under surface.        -   Petioles.—upper surface: near Yellow-Green Group 146B in            coloration. — under surface: near Greyed-Red Group 181A in            coloration. — length: approximately 4.7 cm on average for            the terminal leaflet. — texture: glandular on the upper            surface, and with small prickles on the under surface.        -   Rachis.—upper surface: near Greyed-Purple Group 183A in            coloration. — under surface: near Yellow-Green Group 148A in            coloration. — texture: smooth.        -   Leaflets.—number 3, 5 (most often), and 7. — shape:            generally oval with an acuminate tip and a rounded obtuse            base. — size: the terminal leaflets commonly are            approximately 7 cm in length on average and approximately            4.9 cm in width on average. — serration: small and single            (as illustrated). — texture: physically firm and leathery. —            color (young foliage): upper surface: near Yellow-Green            Group 146A. under surface: near Greyed-Red Group 178A. —            color (adult foliage): upper surface: near Green Group 136A.            under surface: with some Greyed-Red Group 181A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number of flowers.—commonly approximately 1 to 4 blossoms            per stem.        -   Peduncle.—smooth, approximately 6 to 7 cm in length on            average, approximately 0.4 cm in diameter on average, and            near Greyed-Purple Group 183A in coloration.        -   Sepals.—upper surface: tomentose and near Greyed-Orange            Group 177C in coloration. — under surface: smooth and near            Yellow-Green Group 146C in coloration. — shape: longish and            narrow, and somewhat upright at the base.        -   Size.—approximately 2.9 cm in length on average, and            approximately 1 cm in width at the widest point on average.        -   Buds.—shape: substantially globular. — size: medium. —            length: approximately 2 to 2.5 cm on average. — width:            approximately 2.5 cm at the widest point on average. color            as calyx breaks: upper surface: near Red-Purple Group 68B.            under surface: near Red-Purple Group 58B.        -   Flower.—shape: cup-shaped. — diameter: approximately 13 cm            on average. — color (in the course of opening): upper            surface: near Red-Purple Group 62A. under surface: near            Red-Purple Group 58B. — color (open flower): upper side:            near Red-Purple Group 62C. under side: near Red-Purple Group            62A. — fragrance: very slight and resembles that of tea and            cut grass. — petal number: approximately 67 to 70 on average            under normal growing conditions. — petal shape: with a            substantially rounded tip and a cuneiform base. — petal            texture: leathery and somewhat firm. — petal length:            approximately 4.6 cm on average. — petal width:            approximately 4.2 cm on average. — petal arrangement:            imbricated, and without petaloids. — petal drop: good with            the petals commonly detaching cleanly before drying. —            stamen number: approximately 142 on average. — anthers:            regularly arranged in a whorl around the styles,            approximately 0.3 cm in size on average, and near            Yellow-Orange Group 15A in coloration. — filaments:            approximately 0.5 cm in length on average, and near Yellow            Group 9A in coloration. — pistils: approximately 108 on            average. — stigmas: approximately 0.2 cm in size on average,            and near Red Group 43A in coloration. — styles:            approximately 0.9 cm in length on average, and near Yellow            Group 2D in coloration. — receptacle: smooth, pitcher-shaped            in longitudinal section, approximately 1.9 cm in length on            average, approximately 1.2 cm in width on average at the            widest point, and near Yellow-Green Group 146B in            coloration.-   Development:    -   -   Vegetation.—strong.        -   Blooming.—mid-season, very abundant and substantially            continuous.        -   Tolerance to diseases.—good, with no particular            susceptibility to common diseases having been encountered            during observations to date.

1. A new and distinct Hybrid Tea rose plant characterized by thefollowing characteristics: (a) displays a semi-erect growth habit withstrong vegetation and extremely rigid stems, (b) forms medium-sizedglobular-shaped buds, (c) forms at mid-season abundantly andsubstantially continuously attractive bright red-purple blossoms, (d)displays attractive very dense leathery glossy dark green foliage, and(e) is particularly well suited for providing attractive ornamentationin the landscape; substantially as shown and described.